Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-01-29
L GIANTS.
Their Enduring Work In the
Gro wding World
Christopher Mondragon, the Spanish Vero
-DoG- Dandolo, Of Venice-M any ra-
mous Ones beyond Three
Score Years and Ten.

In Motley's "Unlted Netherlands"
one Christopher Mondragon, a Spanish
p%Ilicer, is a striking figure among inc
Military heroes of that stormy period.
II 1898 he was n~inety-two years old.
Ills whole life had been spent in war
are, more than thirty years of it in the
Netherlands in unwearying efforts,
Under his bloody-minded master, Philip
H., to crush out the liberties Of the
Low Countries. In 1872, when nearly
seventy years old, he performed IA feat
which has hardly "A parallel In the an
nails of war. The town of Tergoes
was situated on an island between two
arms of the river Schcldt, and nearly
ten miles from the mainland. This
space between the island and the main
Iand was formerly covered with viii
ages, and swarming with n busy pop
llatior. But a storm, tierccr than ever
Known to that region, had, fifty years
before, broken through the dykes and
overwhelmed beneath the oceans
waves fertile fields and thrifty habita-
tons. The sea stood thenceforth
where the dry land had been, and the
part submerged was known by the
name of the drowned Land"
Tergoes was held by the Spanish, but
the patriot forces were besieging the
town with such numbers and vigOr
that it must Don be captured. unless
relief should reach the besieged. and
this their position forbade them to ex-
pect. Relief, however, was at hand
through an extraordinary way. Parties
who had tried it reported to M~ondragon
that IL was practicable TO pass troops
across this drowned district. For
when the tide was out the water be-
tween the mainland and island was
only from four to five feet deep.
though 1t rose ten feet through the in
coming food. The bottom of the est
nary vas muddy and trcnchcrous. The
hazardous exploit must be performed
by night, and but six hours At longest
'ould be given TO its accomplishment,
or beyond this the rising tide would
'Nt! @aht anu ONcl Nhcllu All WIZ "tic
engaged in the enterprise.
The difficulty and peril Of the enter
prise had special charms for Colonc!
tiondragon. and he inspired the 1900
licked Spanish troops whom he selected
o accompany him with his own en-
husiaSm. AZ half ebh tide he plunged
1ravely and wen gayly into the waves
vt the head of his adventurous band:
md after ~loundrring and Mt time.
winning n few feet, but still strug-
ding forward. he, nj the end Of fly,
iours. before the day dawned, landed
With his entire command, nine persons
xcepted, who We're drowned in the
ransit. The brlcagucring patriots be
ore Tergoes We're aghast ri this sud-
en- apparition Of Il Spanish host rising,
S it were. out % the waves. They fled,
"ized with q panic, in all directions,
I'D the town was ctirrtually relieved,
he feat was altogether a marvellous
ne, especially As achieved by n veteran
# seventy, and well might Alva, who.
owcver blu"d-tilir>tv and rrmorselcSs.
vas vet 4 ~consummate soldier, charaC-
eriZe 1t as "uhe OF the most brilliant
nd original achievements in the an
lals Of war"
ISTINCIEJSUFD VICTORY